United Begins First 787 Dreamliner Flight by U.S. Airline
United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) ushered in a new era for composite-plastic aircraft with its inaugural flight using Boeing Co. (BA)’s 787 Dreamliner jet.
Flight 1116 to Chicago from Houston was the first by a U.S. airline with the plane whose fuselage is made chiefly from composite materials instead of the traditional aluminum, and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smisek hailed it as “the best airplane in the world.”
The Dreamliner symbolically punctuates the 2010 merger creating the world’s largest carrier from former United parent UAL Corp. and Continental Airlines Inc. Continental committed in 2004 to buy the first U.S. 787s, and the new United is due to get 48 more of the jets under purchases by its predecessors, following the delivery of the second plane on Oct. 31. Smisek said he expects two more jets this month.
United will benefit from the plane’s 20 percent fuel savings compared with wide-body models of similar size. It also can promote the passenger comforts that Boeing says set the jet apart from other aircraft, such as dimmable windows and LED lighting that changes in different phases of flight.
The features were much in display as the Dreamliner cruised north to Chicago. Windows were dimmed to a hazy blue to block bright sunlight, the bird-like wings flexed as the 787 climbed and encountered brief turbulence.
Smisek kicked off the on-board party with a toast and passengers thronged galleys and aisles, praising the aircraft’s quiet engines and lavatories, which feature toilets that flush automatically.
With the composite construction, the 787’s interior can withstand higher humidity, allowing cabin pressurization that puts more oxygen in the air to minimize traveler fatigue and headache. As configured for United, the twin-engine jet seats 219 people.
The 787’s sleek design and amenities drew aviation buffs from around the world to Houston for Flight 1116. Among those on hand was Thomas Lee, 60, who said he was on the first flights of Boeing’s 747 jumbo jet, the Airbus SAS A380 superjumbo and All Nippon’s Dreamliner.
